Instant Mango Achaar (Pickle)
The most popular fruit for pickling or making Achaar in India is the Mango, the king of all fruits. During early summer you can buy raw (green), sour mango called ‘cairy’ and preserve it by pickling, making relishes and chutneys. After mixing with spices and oil, the Achaar is cured by putting it in the […]
Mango Mint Chutney
Chutney is a blend of several ingredients served as an accompaniment to dishes to enhance their flavors. A limitless number of chutneys can be made from a combination of vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices. Chutneys made from fresh ingredients such as mint, cilantro, mango etc. are seasonal, depending on the availability of the ingredients. I usually […]
Coriander Tomato Chutney
Chutney is a blend of several ingredients, served as an accompaniment to dishes to enhance their flavor. A limitless number of chutneys can be made from almost any combination of vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices. Chutneys made from fresh ingredients such as mint, cilantro, mango etc. are seasonal, depending on the availability of the ingredients. […]
Fried Fish Indian Style
Growing up in Lucknow, I enjoyed eating the fresh water fish called ‘Rohu’, a fish of the Carp family. My favorite dish was my mom’s fried fish! It always turned out crispy because she used rice flour in the batter. I have tried using other batters but rice flour works the best. Since Carp is […]
Curry Powder
“Curry” originates from the Tamil word “karhi,” which refers to a sauce or gravy. Curry powder is a blend of various raw spices and differs significantly from Garam Masala, where each spice is individually roasted and ground. In traditional cooking, curry powder is added to hot oil and lightly toasted to release and enhance its […]
Matar Paneer (Peas with Home Made Cheese)
Matar or green peas and Paneer, also called Farmer’s Cheese or Home Made Cheese compliment each other in this dish. Paneer always tastes better in a curried sauce since it does not have a strong flavor of its own. I do not use baby peas because I find them too sweet; I usually buy shelled […]
Cooking with Yogurt
Many Indian recipes call for cooking or marinating with yogurt. There are some things to keep in mind when cooking with yogurt: Always use full fat yogurt, low fat yogurt can curdle with heat. You can substitute low fat sour cream for yogurt. Greek style, thick yogurt works well since it does not have the […]
Lamb or Mutton Do Pyaza (Lamb or Mutton with Onions)
There are several theories why a dish is called ‘Do Pyaza’. ‘Do’, (pronounced like the word ‘though’) means two in Hindi and ‘Pyaz’ means onion. One theory suggests that the weight of the onion is twice that of the meat; another that only two onions are used. The most practical theory is that the onions […]
How to Fry Onions
When a recipe calls for fried onions in Indian cooking, it means that the onion is fried until brown in color. The browning gives a beautiful caramel color and flavor to the curry and because the onion is well cooked, it easily dissolves in the gravy. When sprinkled on a rice dish such as Chicken […]